Oxford, 1154. When the first performance of The Play of Adam ends in tragedy, the author pens a grim warning for the generations that follow: ‘Beward the sins of envy and vainglory, else foul murder ends your story'. But his words are not heeded, and as the play is performed in many guises throughout the ages, bad luck seems to follow after those involved in its production…

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Oxford, 1154. When the first performance of The Play of Adam ends in tragedy, the author pens a grim warning for the generations that follow: ‘Beward the sins of envy and vainglory, else foul murder ends your story'. But his words are not heeded, and as the play is performed in many guises throughout the ages, bad luck seems to follow after those involved in its production…

The reader and the story of the progressive portrayal of the theater itself is worth the listen. Plot is ok, but it is elevated by showing (not telling) how drama changed over the course of several hundred years. It was done in such an entertaining manner that it bears at least one more listen.

Would you try another book from The Medieval Murderers and/or Paul Matthews?

I would try the authors again but only because I have already read other books by them and know this one is not typical of the quality.

Would you ever listen to anything by The Medieval Murderers again?

yes, but only because I had already read other books by them.

Would you be willing to try another one of Paul Matthews’s performances?

not really. Delivery was very flat.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The First Murder?

theater scene for the Rosetta stone story dragged on and on and ON.

Any additional comments?

None of the authors' usual characters are present; the story connections are at best improbable; only one of the short stories was entertaining. It would be interesting for these authors to try a connecting artifact that has good qualities or is pivotal in solving a mystery. In this case the "evil play" was just unbelievable.

Mostly following on from the characters depicted in the Hill of Bones this is the best collection of stories from the authors of the Medieval Murderers to date.... Hope they continue to produce books at this quality!!

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